“I’ve never heard of anyone shooting a cat, certainly not in this vicinity.”

After several trips to the vets, and more than £1,000 in vets’ bills later, Simba is on the road to recovery.

But Miss Lee said it was “touch and go” for a while.

“He wasn’t eating, he was just lying there,” she said.

In addition to leaving her out of pocket, the incident has added to Miss Lee’s stress levels. “My blood pressure was quite high for the first time in my pregnancy last week, which isn’t good for the baby,” she said.

Miss Lee reported the incident to police and the RSPCA. Anyone with information about the shooting can call Thames Valley Police on 0845 8 505 505.

She has been editorial director of the online and print titles in Surrey and north-east Hampshire since 2007. Marnie previously worked at the BBC as a producer for 5 Live, having moved to national radio from BBC Sussex and Surrey.